Coaling-station.



No. 828,427. PATENTED AUG. 14, 1906. W. J. SELLBGK. GOALING STATION.

APPLICATION FILED APB. 23.1902.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1;

l/IZ It No. 828,427. PATEN'I'BD AUG. 14, 1906. w. J. SELLEGK. OOALING STATION.

APPLICATION FILED APB. 23.1902.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED AUG. 14, 1906;

w. J. SBLLEOK. GOALING STATION. APPLICATION FILED APR.23. 1902.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

g/QZM witl/oriwg WILLIAM J. SELLECK, OF RIVERSIDE, CONNECTICUT.

COALING-Q-STATION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 14, 1906.

Application filed April 23, 1902. Serial No. 104,416.

To all whom/it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J. SELLECK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Riverside, county of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Coaling-Stations; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descri tion of the invention, such as will enable ot ers skilled in the art to which it ertains to make and use the same, reference Eein had to the accompanying drawings, whic form a part of this specification.

My invention relates generally to apparatus for unloading coal or other material, and more particularly to a paratus for transfe'rring coal from cars to t e tenders of locomotives. I

It is customary to provide railroads at various points with coaling-stations where coal is supplied to the tenders of locomotives. It is desirable by a single operation to transfer the coal from the cars to the locomotivetenders, and thereby avoid the necessity of twice handling the coal. It is also desirable to weigh the coal loaded upon the tender of each locomotive. I

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus for transferring coal from a car to the tender of a locomotive and for weighing. the coal during the o eration of removin it from the car and loa ing it upon the ten er.

A further object of my invention is to provide a locomotive-coaling tower at which the coal may be weighed and loaded upon the tenders of locomotives and at which also the ashes may be removed from the fire-boxes.

A further object of my invention is to provide a locomotive-coaling tower which will be comparatively simple in construction and which will facilitate the handling and weighing of coal.

My invention, generally described, comprises a .towerbeneath which tracks extend for the locomotive to run upon, a hopper supported by the tower above the tracks, a weighing-box to receive the coal from the hopper and transfer the same to the tender of a locomotive, and means for unloading coal from a coal-car and depositing-it in the hoper. P My invention will be more fully described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same is illus- Wated as embodied in a convenient and practical form, and in which- 4 Figure 1 is an elevational view of my improvement Fig. 1, a detail .view of the bucket retained in its open position; Fig. 2, a plan view of the top structure thereof Fig. 3, a sectional plan view taken on line 3 3, Fig. 1, with parts omitted to better show the tunnels beneath the tracks; Fig. 4, an elevational view looking from the right in Fig. 1 Fig. 5,-a sectional view on line 4 4, Fig. 1, looking downwardly into the hopper; Fig. 6, an enlarged detail view of the engine for operating the hoisting mechanism; Fig. 7, an v enlarged detail view showing the manner of supporting the bucket beneath the trolle and Fig. 8 a plan View looking downwardly with respect to Fig. 7.

Similar reference characters are used to indicate similar parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Reference-letters A, A, A and A indi' cate vertical posts, preferably constructed of channel steel beams. Horizontal beams C, 0*, C and C connect the posts at a point above their bases sufficient to permit a locomotive to ass thereunder. At a higher level than t e beams C, &c., are arranged osts, and at a still higher level are other liorizontal beams C. The upper ends of the osts are connected by horizontal beams C. uitable trusses a and a are interposed between the posts and the horizontal beams to give the requisite strength to the structure. Vertical posts A and A extend upwardly at points intermediate of the posts A and A and A and A, respectively, and are supported at their lower ends upon the horizontal eams C and C The upper ends of the osts A and A extend above the horizontal eams C",.as shown in Fig. 1. The upper ends of the posts A and A are connected horizontal beams C, which also unite the with the upper ends of the posts A and A by The outer ends of the beams B and B A and A respectively, at points substantially opposite the horizontal beams C. Short vertical posts If and b are interposed between the corresponding ends of the beams B and D and B and D. Suitable struts d are interposed between the beams B and D and B and D to give the requisite strength by forming a cantaliver.

Supported parallel with and at a slightly lower plane than the beams B and B are channel-beams E and E which serve as tracks upon which a trolley F is supported. The tracks preferably extend in an incline direction from the outer ends of the beams D and D to a point slightly beyond the central vertical posts A and A.

The trolley F is provided with wheels which engage the tracks E and E and is also provided with a horizontal base F, which depends from the trolley by means of hangers f. The base F is provided with a funnel or bell shaped downwardly-projecting portion f. Upon the upper surface of the ase F is movably supported a plate G. The plate G is so supported upon the base F as to be capable of a horizontal sliding movement transversely with respect to the tracks E and E Any suitable connection between the plate G and base F may be provided-such, for instance, as slots g, formed in the plate, through which extend pins secured to the upper surface of the base the tracks.

F. The opposite edges g and g of the plate G are parallel with respect to the planes of A tongue G is formed within the plate G by cutting away a portion of the plate, as clearly shown in Fig. 8.

Supported beneath the tracks E and E are obstructions. L and U, the former of which is located farther u the incline of the tracks than the latter. he obstructions L and L are provided with downwardly-extending flanges Z and 1, respectively, which are parallel with each other and are inclined with res ect to the planes of the tracks, as clearly sliown in Fi s. 7 and 8. The inclination of the flanges and Z corresponds with the inclination of the edges g and g of the plate G.

A bucket, preferably of the well-known clam-shell type, com osed of hinge ortions H and H depends om the truck p The outer top edges of the portions H and H of the bucket are pivotally connected to arms h and k respectively, which at their upper ends are pivotally secured to a link 71. A latch-bar H is pivotally secured at one end to the upper edge of the portionH of the bucket and is adapted to engage a lug h, projecting outward y from the upper edge of the other portion H of the bucket. The latch-bar serves to retain the bucket in its open position, as shown in Fig. 1

A pulley M is journaled at the up or ends of and between the tracks E an E A gravity-hook N is pivotally supported, preferably at the same point where the pulley M is located. A flexible connection 77. is secured to the hook N, thence passes over a sheave n, thence over a second sheave n thence to a lever N, which is pivotally mounted upon a platform located above the horizontal beam C".

An engine 0 of any suitable construction is supported upon the platform above the beams C and is connected to a crank-shaft O by a connecting-rod 0. The crank-shaft is provided with fly-wheels 0 and at one end thereof with a friction-wheel 0 A drum P, having a large friction-wheel P thereon, is j ournaled upon suitable su ports P, mounted above the beams C pindles p p, concentric with the drum, are journaled in ec centric bearings p p, which in turn are rotatably mounted in circular apertures formed in the supports P. Levers P are rigidly connected with the eccentric bearings 11 p and extend upwardly therefrom. Connections p are interposed between the levers P and a lever P, which may conveniently be journaled at the same point where the lever N is located.

A cable K is secured at one end to the drum P, thence extends over the guide-pulley M, thence over the guide-pulley F su ported upon the trolle F, thence around t e guide-pulley journale at the point H where the two parts of the bucket are pivotally united, thence around a sheave if, supported below the link h, thence around a guide-pulley at the pivotal oint of connection between the parts of tlie bucket, thence to the trolley, where it is fixed. When tension is applied to the cable K, the pivotal point H and a sheave h are drawn together, which, through the arms h and h forces the two parts of the bucket together, the bucket being retained closed by the weight of the coal, as is customary in the well-known type of clam-shell bucket. It is of course necessary to disengage the latch-bar H from the lug h before tension is applied to the cable in order that the bucket may be closed.

A hop er Q is supported between the posts A, A i

Horizontally-sliding doors Q and Q (see particularly Fig. 5) control the opening at the bottom of the hopper. A cylinder Q or any other suitable means is operatively connected with the sliding doors Q and Q in any desired manner as, for instance, by means of toggle-links g connected to the piston-rod and also to the ends of levers g and g the other ends of which levers are connected with the sliding doors.

Located below the hopper Q is areceptacle R, provided with downwardly-swinging doors 1" and r at its opposite sides. The doors 1" and T are retained closed by any suitable meanssuch, for instance, as the pivoted catches 1*. (Shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.) The -box R is open at its top and is rigidly secured to ashaft 7", extending be neath the bottom thereof. The opposite ends of the shaft r are journaled in frames R and R which are preferably of triangular and A in any suitable manner.

IIO

located tracks x and 00, respectively.

shape. Two-parallel shafts T and T extend immediately above the horizontal ortions of the triangular frames R and These shafts T and T are supported at their opposite ends by links 15 t, the upper ends of which are secured to the hopper Q. Links If t are interposed between the opposite ends of the shafts T and T and the triangular frames R and R Thelinks t t are connected to the shafts T and T at points Within or nearer together than links t t. Arms a and a are connected to the shafts T and T at approximately opposite 1points and extending toward each other. he free ends of the arms a and u are both united to a lever T? by a flexible connection. The lever T is fulcrumed at one end and at its other end is connected to a link or flexible connection t The opposite end of the flexible connection t is connected to one end of a lever T the opposite end of such lever being united by a flexible connection t to one end of a lever T The other end of the lever T is united, by means of a flexible connection t, to a scale T of any suitable construction, preferably of a recording-beam type. The levers T and T are fulcrumed between their op osite ends, the former by means of a depen ing connection t One end of the shaft 1", to which the receptacle R is rigidly secured, is provided with a worm-wheel s, which meshes with a worm 8, fixed upon a short rotary shaft S. The shaft S is provided with means for conveniently rotating the same and is journaled in brackets secured to the triangular frame R.

Tracks W and W extend between the posts A and A and A and A respectively. In the spaces between the rails of the tracks W and W are formed subpassages wand w At the bottoms of the passages to and w 81;; subway w extends transversely with respect to the subways w and w and is provided with rails as at a lower level than the rails w and x in the subways w and W. A truck X is supported upon the rails a? and is provided with short sections of rails on the upper surface thereof, which may form contlnuations of the rails x and 90 when the truck is located in alinement with either of the subways w or w Rails W are located outside of and parallel with the posts A and A and also above the outer end of the transverse subway w.

Rails W are located parallel with the posts A and A and immediately below the outer end of the tracks E and E upon which the trolley F is supported. A subpassa e w is preferably formed between the rails The operation of my invention is as follows: Locomotives run upon the tracks W and W to points between the posts of the tower, so that their tenders V and V occupy positions immediately below the opposite sides of the receptacle R. The ashes from the fire-boxes of the locomotives may be thrown into small cars X and X which are supported upon the tracks as and x in the subpassage-ways w and W. When either of the cars X or X is filled with ashes, the truck X is run to a position in alinement with the corresponding subpassage and the car X or X as the case may be, is run upon the truck. The truck is then drawn through the transverse subpassage w" to a point outside of the tower, where the car may be emptied of the ashes. A coal-car V, of any suitable construction, is located vertically beneath. the tracks E and E on either of the pairs of rails W or W. The bucket is then lowered into engagement with the coal in the car by disconnecting the drum P from its engagement with the engine 0. The lever P is then operated so as to swing the levers P through the interposed connection p thereby rotating the eccentric journal-boxes p 1) within the supports P. The rotation of the eccentric journal-boxes moves the drum P toward the shaft 0 and brings the frictionwheel P into contact with the friction-wheel 0 The operation of the en ine O consequently rotates the drum P an winds thereon the cable K. The winding up of the cable closes the parts H and H of the bucket in a well-known manner and fills the same with coal. After the bucket has been closed the further winding up of the cable draws the bucket up into engagement with the trolley F. The link it then extends through the bell-shaped projection f a slight distance above the base F of the trolley and in alinement with the tongue G on the sliding plate G.

- The further winding up of the cable after the bucket has been drawn into engagement with the trolley causes the trolley to move upwardly along the tracks E and E When the trolley reaches a point opposite the obstruction L, the engagement of the flange Z thereon forces the plate G transversely and causes the tongue G to pass through the staple it, thereby locking the bucket securely to the trolley. The trolley continues upwardly until it ICC reaches a point adjacent to the guide-pulley I M, when the drum is disconnected from the engine by operating the lever P. The trolley is held in the position to which it has been drawn by reason of the hook N engaging the trolley. When the drum is disconnected from the engine 0, the bucket is opened, owing to the discontinuance of the tension 'on the cable,

which holds the two parts thereof closed. The coal consequently falls into the hopper Q. The two halves of the bucket are retained apart, as shown in Fig. 1, by any suitable meanssuch, for instance, as the latch H, which automatically engages the lug h" when the bucket opens upon the discontinuance of the tension of the cable. After the bucket has been emptied the lever N is depressed, which through the cable n lifts the hook N which permits the trolley to run by gravity down the inclined tracks. The trolley passes the obstruction L but when it reaches the obstruction L the flan e Z thereon engages the inclined edge g of t e plate G and forces the same transversely with respect to the base F of the trolley, and thereby removes the ton e G from within the link h. When the trol ey'reaches the lower end of the tracks, the bucket descends to a position upon the coal in the coal-car V when the lever P is again operated to connect the drum P with the engine 0 and repeat the operation above described. Previous to connectin the drum P with the engine 0 the latch is disengaged from the lug h by an attendant, so as to permit the bucket to be closed by the tension of the cable. The coal is allowed to fall out of the hop er Q into the receptacle R by openin and cl fising the sliding doors Q and Q. T e opening-and closing of the doors is effected by the admission and exhaust of pressure to the opposite ends of the cylinder Q When the receptacle R has been filled, the doors Q and Q are closed. The weight of the coal in the box R is indicated upon the scale T, owin to the fact that the box is supported upon t e shaft 1', which in turn is supported within the triangular frames R and R and the in turn are connected to the scale through the shafts T and T the arms u and u and the several levers and flexible connections. (ClearlyshowninFig.4.) After the box R has been Weighed the shaft 1" is rotated, thereby oscillating the box in the direction desired according as the tender V or V is to be loaded. The doorsr and r are adapted to swing downwardly, and thereby form a continuatlon of the bottom of the box,

so as to insure the coal passing into the ten-- der desired. If the coal-car V is of the hopper-bottom type and it is therefore impossible for the bucket to remove all of the coal therefrom, the car may be dumped and the coal then removed by the bucket from the space w between the rails W From the foregoing description of the construction and operation of my invention it will be observed that I have devised a coaling-station for locomotives at Which the coal may be transferred from a coal-car to the tender of a locomotive and at which also the ashes may be conveniently removed from the fire-box of the locomotive. It will also be observed that in my invention the coal prior to being loaded upon the tender is accurately weighed Without the necessity of a handling thereof additional to that re uired in transferring the same from the coa car to the tender.

While I have described more or less precisely the details of construction, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I contemplate changes in form, the proportion of parts, and the substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest .means fixed upon said inclined track for andevice tomatically actuating said couplin to lock the bucket to the trolley as t e latter travels up the track and to automatically unlock the bucket from the trolley as the latter travels down the track, and means for retaining the trolley in its elevated position upon the track whereby the propelling-cable may be slackened to permit the bucket to open.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with an inclined track, of a trolley supported on said track, a cable passing over a guide on said trolley, a bucket supported beneath said trolley by said cable and adapted to be opened and closed thereby, a coupling device for connecting said bucket directly to said trolley, means for automatically actuating said device as the trolley travels along the track, and means for retaining the trolley in its elevated position, thereby permitting the tension of the cable to be discontinued to open the bucket.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with an inclined track, of a trolley supported on said track, a clam-shell bucket depending from said trolley, a cable connected at one end to a motor, a guide at the upper end of said track over which the cable passes, a guide on said trolley engaged by said cable, a pivotal connection between the two halves of said bucket around which said cable passes, said cable being secured to said trolley, wherebya pull exerted on said cable closes the bucket, elevates the same into engagement with the trolley, and draws the trolley up the inclined track.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with an inclined track, of a trolley supported on said track, a clam-shell bucket depending from said trolley, a cable connected at one end in a motor and passing over a guide at the upper end of said track thence over a guide on said trolley thence around the pivotal connection bev said trolley, means'for automatically actuating said. device as the trolley travels along the track, and means for retaining the troland passing over a guide at the upper end of said track, thence over a guide on said trolley thence around the pivotal connection between the two halves of said bucket, and thence to the trolley where it is secured, a

coupling device located on said trolley for.

engaging and disengaging the bucket, obstructions fixed upon said track for automaticallyactuating said coupling to lock the bucket to the trolley when the latter travels up the track and to automatically unlock the bucket from the trolley as the latter travels down the track, and means located at a predetermined point on said track for engaging said trolley and preventing the same from traveling down the track when the tension of the cable is discontinued to permit the bucket to open.

6. In a coaling-tower for locomotives, the combination with a hopper for receiving coal,

of mechanism for conveying the coal to a point in the tower above the hopper and for depositing the coal in the hopper, frames suspended by and located beneath said hopper, a scale having operative connections interposed between said ho per and frames, a shaft rotatably supported? by said frames, a receptacle fixed upon said shaft for receiving the coal from the hopper, and means for rotating said shaftand thereby oscillating said receptacle to dump the coal therefrom.

7. In a coaling-tower for locomotives, the combination with a hopper for receiving coal, of mechanism for conveying the coal to a point in the tower above the hopper and for depositing the coal in the hopper, a receptacle pivotally supported beneath the hopper for receiving the coal therefrom, a frame upon which the receptacle is supported, a scale operatively connected with said frame, a pair of tracks extending through the tower beneath said receptacle, and means for oscillating the receptacle to dump the material into the tender of a locomotive on either of said tracks.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM J. SELLECK.

Witnesses:

GEO. L. WILKINSON, CLARA O. CUNNINGHAM. 

